Four Seas One Family : All About Expat Living

While overseas, a negative encounter may leave a bitter taste in the mouth of a traveler. Stories of being cheated or scammed by members of a local population can be heard from travelers of every nation. However, many of these observations, although unfortunate, are not only one-sided, but also unfair. Some travelers have reported that they had been overcharged and or underserved by local store owners and service providers which left them with a negative impression of the local or indigenous population. In turn, these negative impressions were later applied to the people of other nations. It is true that many nations with a high level of tourist from overseas have areas where an unexpected tourist or traveler could be easily misled and swindled. In this episode we help travelers prepare for the eventuality of being cheated or scammed. We give examples of some commonly used scheming and scamming tactics along with what can be done to avoid being taken advantage of. Keep in mind that many of these negative expe

Welcome to a roller coaster of an episode. We have American travel writers Joshua Samuel Brown and Stephanie Huffman as our guests this episode. Joshua and Stephanie are travel writers with a new book coming out soon (May 2018) that centers on traveling in Taiwan. Joshua and Stephanie are a couple that always seem to have a limitless supply of unpredictable energy and creativity. Joshua has written many articles from many countries for popular magazines which includes The Lonely Planet travel guide series. Hear how Joshua, a fast paced New Yorker, persuaded Stephanie, a small town girl from Portland, Oregon, to join him on his overseas travel writing journey. Oh, listen in and find out what is “The Talk”. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Facebook: Joshua Samuel Brown Facebook: My Taiwan Tour Facebook: Author at Lonely Planet Website: KBOO Community Radio Amazon: Book: Green Island (Shawna Yang Ryan) THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! If you enjoyed this podcast please share it with your friends, family and co

We are happy to have Mr. Mark Korondi as our guest this episode. He is one of the most energetic and mindful people to have been interviewed on this podcast. Mark has had his eye on his host nation for a while and was lucky to be offered a job to take him there! He explains why it is extremely important to invest time in learning about the local culture and language of the nation you reside in as it greatly lowers communication barriers. Mark also passionately explains how he has become captivated by the beautiful mountains standing tall in his overseas home, Zürich Switzerland, which isn't to far from his home nation, Hungary. Mark mentions some steps people can take to make their overseas life more satisfying. Oh, I bet you can’t guest what Mark likes to eat in Switzerland. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Facebook: Mark Korondi THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! If you enjoyed this podcast please share it with your friends, family and co-workers by using the social media buttons below. Please subscribe to

Learning a new language is often the deal breaker when deciding whether or not to go to, and more so, live in a different nation. Learning a new language may also be the ignitor that causes someone to focus on the nation where the language is commonly spoken. We sit down for a chat with UK expat and blogger, Henissi. Henissi shares her story of why she chose to go to Valencia, Spain and why she hopes of one day making it her new home. Hear some of the highlights and comparisons she makes of her life in Spain. Also, listen to how she carefully squashes a few stereotypes people from other nations may have about Spain and Spaniards in general. Get a glimpse of how this forward thinking Spanish language learner is embracing her life and future in Spain. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Henissi's blog focuses on giving people a peek into life in Spain by introducing cool and interesting places to visit. Her blog also goes into her personal reasons for wanting to move to Spain with the hope of helping others like herself

It is impossible to know when or where your life will take a sudden turn. Sometimes the turns leads to a path that is not only unpredictable, but also impossible to prepare for. Our guest this episode shows that the key to finding and implementing successful adjustments is to maintain a positive attitude and the willingness to remain flexible. This episode we welcome American immigrant Michael Harling to the show. Michael isn’t afraid of facing and overcoming challenges. After coming off a long and successful civil service career, Michael decided to make a change in his life. However, Michael didn’t start off with a plan to travel abroad and as a result made a lot of mistakes. It looks like Lady Luck was on his side. Michael translated his adventures into a blog and later into books. Hear how Michael found the love of his life and became part of his host nation’s community. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Website: Postcards From Across the Pond Books: Postcards from across The Pond, More Postcards from across The

The ways foreigners are described or classified have a direct link to how they are treated or accommodated in a host country. The terms used to describe foreigners have a direct impact on not only how fellow foreigners see themselves, but also how local populations interact with foreign nationals living amongst them. How should people who aren’t “natives” of a particular country be classified? This question has taken on more of a forefront position in the collective thinking of many nations that once welcomed foreign nationals but today feel that they are more of a burden on their nation than contributors to the development of their nation. In this short episode, we go very deep into finding out how the terms expatriate, immigrant, emigrant and migrant are used to describe people who aren’t “natives” of the country they reside in. We present some blunt points to show how some of these terms are related in history as well as how these terms are used in modern-times. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! If

It's amazing how learning about an overseas location can excite a person's curiosity. Learning about the intricate components of a nation and its history can be the impetus for someone to want to place themselves within the environment they are learning about. In this episode we sit down for chat with McKenzie Dow. McKenzie is an American expat currently living in Dublin, Ireland. She became interested in Ireland after taking courses about the nation. Overtime, she became inseparable from her adopted nation. Tune in to hear how this energetic American expat fell in love with her host nation while at the same time pursuing a Ph.D. related to child development. McKenzie also goes over some of the differences she has noticed in education. By the way, what is this Fergus thing? MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Website: Lady Mac Lifestyle Facebook: Lady Mac Lifestyle Instagram: mckenzie_dow THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Click HERE if you would lik

Here is a bonus episode recorded on October 1st 2017 for International Podcasts Day. I was the second remote speaker and I spoke about Podcasting in the Asian Region. I am honored to have been chosen to take part in this celebration of podcasting. Youtube: James Thomas: Podcasting in the Asian Region Youtube: International Podcast Day (Full Broadcast) Facebook Page: International Podcast Day Twitter: @International Podcast Day THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS Bonus SODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Click HERE if you would like to load our Four Seas One Family Website RSS Feed. Please help us make this show better by filling in this Expat Life Expat Life Survey. It will help us produce a better show for you and thanks! If you have any feedback, please leave a note in the comments section below or leave a voice message via our SpeakPipe voice message page. We would love to hear from you!If you enjoyed this please share it with your friends, family and co-workers by using the so

Hello Four Seas One Family listeners. We are still here. It's been a busy few weeks and we just got back from the 2017 LA Podfest! It was great meeting other podcasters to share thoughts on the current state of podcasting. Podcasting has become a major force in getting and sharing information listeners need without barriers. We have a few things lined up for future podcasts and we can't wait to get back in action to give our expat and future expat listeners the information they need to make their lives overseas a rewarding and precious experience. First line of text Facebook Page: Four Seas One Family Page Facebook Group: The Expats Roundtable Twitter: @4seas1family THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Click HERE if you would like to load our Four Seas One Family Website RSS Feed. Please help us make this show better by filling in this Expat Life Expat Life Survey. It will help us produce a better show for you and thanks! If you have any feedb

Occasionally long-term expats get the urge to revisit places that were or remind them of their first overseas experience. This gives the expat a type of overseas homecoming which causes him or her to reflect on their overseas experience. Many expats who have had the opportunity to revisit their old "stomping grounds" reminisce about the times when things were fresh, raw, new, unfamiliar or just simply confusing. These reflections causes an expat to see how much of their overseas experience allowed them to grow in ways unattainable by just living in their home nation alone. These expats find themselves talking about how things used to be and how things have developed or, in some cases, regressed. But no matter which way the needle may have moved, a sense of something exotic still remains fresh in the air. Today we sit down for a chat with long-term American expat, and fellow podcaster, Stephanie Fuccio. Stephanie has traveled to many places overseas and currently calls Shanghai, China home but this episode she

It shouldn't be a surprise to find out that the education we were constantly taught during our childhoods about the world was filtered through trends, politics and, in some cases, the dominant religion of our home nation. As a result, many of us start off with a worldview that was designed to uphold the values of our home nation. In some nations, this created a veil over the eyes of its population that may later lead to a fear of people and cultures that differ from their own. When expats venture abroad and find out that the local population they live among daily or the culture they have been immersed in don't adhere to what they were taught in their home nation, they begin to reevaluate their views of the world and it's people. In some cases, this re-examination causes some expats to raise deep concerning questions about both their home and host nation. All of the above has much to do with the discoveries made by our guest. We are honored to have American expat Chloé Skye on the podcast this episode. Chloé i

What is the mindset that should be embraced when having to constantly relocate and adjust to life all over the world? Are there any positive pointers that can help make our overseas experiences more beneficial to not only ourselves, but also to those who we interact with during our journeys? Surely, there isn't only one solution to solve all the problems or unforeseen situations we encounter while living abroad but there may be a mindset that we can live by to help us overcome and cope with obstacles while in unfamiliar environments. Listen in to our wonderful Stateside connected conversation with Angie Drake. As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), Angie may have traveling coded deep within her DNA. Angie and her husband, who has a long career working for the U.S. government, have been traveling all over the world with their two boys. However, Angie has a special room in her heart for Ecuador and shares many of her overseas experiences through her photography that can be found at her website: Not Your Average American

American expat, Jason Hunter, in Southern Taiwan joins us on the podcast. As a result of his observations working in his profession, Jason is able to explain how businesses are more interconnected than ever. He points out that modern-day businesses simply can't and maybe shouldn’t do everything on their own. The reason is that international cooperations don't only benefit businesses, but also consumers in the long run. He also demonstrates why it’s important for not only businesses to cooperate with each other, but also for nations as well. He points out that it wouldn’t be wise for national leaders to close a nation’s doors to the outside world. If nations are unable to source needed materials both abroad and into their nations, cost will rise and cross-border job opportunities will be lost. The lead-in to this episode covers in detail the possible mindset of hate-ridden individuals during the sad events that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 13, 2017, which ended in the senseless loss of a lif

This is an excerpt of episode 64 of Four Seas One Family: As the host of this expat focused podcasts, I've been lucky to have had the opportunity to chat with fellow expats located in different parts of the world to share their experiences of how they overcame living in different cultures that are far different from the cultures they were born in. These fellow expats have shared with me their issues with learning a local language and adapting to the culture of their host nations. The majority of the expats I’ve spoken to over the past few months felt that their overseas experiences has helped them to not only learn about other cultures and languages, but also quite a bit about themselves. Most expats learnt that by having a positive attitude and open-mind, they were able to gain access to opportunities that go far beyond a physical or financial reward. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS SHORT EXCERPT EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Click HERE if you would like to load our

When living overseas as an expat you are sure to make cultural mistakes. However you have to take every mistake that you make as a learning experience to help you comprehend the culture you’re living in. To help ease and improve an expat overseas experience it is of the greatest importance to learn about the customs and habits of the host nation and it's local community. . When expats interact with the local community, it’s not only an opportunity for an expat to learn about their host nation, but also an opportunity for the people within the local community to learn how to deal with people who are from outside their nation. The main objective should be to learn about cultural nuances and understand why some behaviors are welcomed and others taboo. In this episode, we share cultural etiquette tips. We walk through the pros and cons of doing certain things in a nation and how cultural habits are linked to a nation’s language and history. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking t

Just a quick checkin to let everyone know that I am still here. Sometimes he can be quite difficult arranging interview times with expats located in different parts of the world. Over the next few episodes, because of time zone differences, I will focus on interviewing expats closer to my region. Once again thank you for listening to Four Seas One Family. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Click HERE if you would like to load our Four Seas One Family RSS Feed. Please help us make this show better by filling in this Expat Life Expat Life Survey. It will help us produce a better show for you and thanks! If you have any feedback, please leave a note in the comments section below or leave a voice message via our SpeakPipe voice message page. We would love to hear from you! If you enjoyed this please share it with your friends, family and co-workers by using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Please subscribe to the show

This episode we sit down for a chat with another American expat who is also living in Asia, Mrs. Tara White. Tara has been living abroad since 2008 working as both an English teacher and a teacher trainer. Tara has experienced living in many locations in Asia. She has lived in Cambodia, Korea, Malaysia, and Australia and is currently residing with her husband just outside the fast paced city of Tokyo, Japan. The most interesting thing is she’s living her expat life as a minimalist. Tara is also the host of a popular YouTube channel where she can be found creating videos that demonstrate how everyone can simplify their life by practicing a minimalist lifestyle. In the future, Tara plans to become a KonMari certified consultant so that she can help others create spaces and homes that spark joy. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Website: Tara White Talks Facebook: Tara White Talks Youtube: Tara White Talks Instagram: Tara White Talks THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to sh

An expat may not always agree with how things are done in their host nation and this shouldn't be a surprise. By keeping an open mind and heart a lot can be learned from an overseas experience. These experiences may not always be good but they may help an expat further understand him or her self and the other people who are also citizens of this planet. With this in mind, expats should allow themselves to see more of the benefits of life within their host nation without prejudice. By doing so, they may discover that something like a local custom or public service is beneficial to the local population and could be implemented even in their home nation. In this episode, we share concepts like this with American expat Marjorie Freimuth who has lived in Austria, Ireland and the Czech Republic. Marjorie, who at the time of this interview is living in Asia, has written about her overseas experiences for the Huffington Post. She shares with us some of her cross-cultural interactions along with the challenges faced w

James sits down for a chat with his old friend and Cortland State University alumni, Mr. Todd Friends, whom he hasn’t seen in years. Todd is currently an assistant professor at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. Listen to how Todd is using his expat experience, along with his extensive business and management background, to impress on his students the importance of developing cross cultural exchanges and understandings at a local level. Also, Todd explains why in some places cultural understandings can turn out to be more valuable and flexible in the long term than contractual agreements, which in the end, builds lasting trust and opens the door for yet seen opportunities. Todd happened to be coming through Taipei to set up the groundwork for a study abroad course he has developed for his students called “The Three Chinas”. This course isn’t educational tourism. This 2018 course is a live comparative business trip between Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai. This is when Todd’s students can get an early ta

Our guest this episode is American expat Hallie Bradley. Hallie has been living in Seoul, Korea for over ten years and she is loving it. Hallie shares with us her very first impressions of her overseas home. Listen to how this expat from a small American town overcame language barriers and learnt to build long-lasting relationships with the local residents. Hallie also gives us a peek into how she met her Korean husband and how they are today raising a young daughter. Hallie is doing all of this while running a popular website that showcases events in and around Seoul. So join us and hear why this energetic expat believes, above all, in the power of communication. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Website: The Soul of Seoul Facebook: The Soul of Seoul Twitter: The Soul of Seoul Pinterest: The Soul of Seoul THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE! Thank you very much for taking the time to share this podcast. Please help us make this show better by filling in this Expat Life Expat Life Survey. It will help us produce